Insulated rail joint



April 3, 1928.

R. B. ABBOTT INSULATED RAIL JOINT Filed June 16 1926 INVENTOR M W BY ,M

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 3, 192$a RANSLOE BOONE ABBOTT, OF READING, @ENNSYLVANIA.

INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

Application filed June 16, 1326. Serial No. 116,292. a

This invention described herein relates to improvements in insulated joints for railways and has for its object to produce a simplified and improved structure having important advantages over structures as heretofore proposed and used.

My improved insulated joint is of the type employing insulating wood filler blocks engaging the fishing surfaces of the respective rail ends which are held in position by the usual securing bolts with interposed angle bars having their base flanges underlying the rail ends for the purpose of giving adequate vertical support thereto. An important objection to insulating joint structures of this type as heretofore proposed has resulted from the arrangement providing for the securing of the angle bar supports to the ties at opposite sides, from which it results that under the action of the longitudinal creeping and wave movement of the rail the securing devices in their action cause a relative movement of the parts of which the joint is composed, particularly accentuated under conditions of loosened or partially loosened bolts, and the effect of which is to produce excessive wear upon the insulation employed. In my improved structure this excessive wear of the insulation is to a' large degree eliminated by an improved structural form which allows of securing the angle bar supports at one side only as is required for the purpose of maintaining gauge thereby providing for sub stantially free vertical movement of the joint structure as a whole under the rail wave action with reduced relative movement of the parts and lessened wear upon the insulation. Incidental to the important advantages referred to, my improved arrangement allows of employing angle bar supports composed of standard rolled sections offering substantial facility and economy of manufacture. r

The described and other features and ad vantages of my improved insulated joint structure will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters are applied to the corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating an improved embodiment of the features of my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view thereof.

In the preferred structural embodiment of my invention as here illustrated, 1 and 2 indicate the respective rail ends to be joined. The joint structure comprises the oppositely positioned and reversely arranged angle bars 3 and 4 having their baseflanges 5 and 6 extending beneath the rail ends in overlapping relation whereby the flange 6 of upper angle bar 4 bears upon the base flange 5 of the angle bar i'l to afford base support to'the rail ends, the angle bars being of cor responding length and adapted to spanad jacent ties to supply bridge support in the usual manner. Between the vertical members of the angle bars 3 and land the rail. ends, there are positioned insulating wood filler blocks? and 8 of a length correspond 'ing to the length of the anglebars and formed to have fishing engagement with the underside of the rail head and the upper surface of the rail flanges and having vertical outer surfaces as shown. An angular fibre insulating member. 10 is,,as shown, disposed with its vertical portion between the outer surface of filler block 8 and the vertical portion of angle bar 4 and with its horizontal portion 11 positioned between the rail ends and the upper surface of the horizontal flange 6 of angle bar 4 thereby to provide base insulation for each of-the rails ends. For the latter purpose, the insulating member 10-11 may desirably extend, as shown, the full length of the joint structure. For securing the respective parts in operating. position the usual securing bolts 12 are fitted to apertures in the angle bar and fillet block members and in the rail ends. The bolts have the usual squared heads 13 with their opposite ends threaded to receive the securing nuts la and they are insulated from the angle bar members by means ofthe usual fibre washers 1616 and fibre insulated bushings 17 fitting'in large openings in the angle bars and are protected. by the usual outwardly positioned metal washers 1818. I

An important feature of my improved construction results from the employment of the plane or standard type angleibars which in addition to offering greater facility and economy of manufacture have desirable features of advantage in the assembled joint. In practice I have found that in an insulated joint of this type it is ver desirable that the joint structure shall be to a large degree nonsecured against vertical movement, whereby the jointstructure as a whole may be movable to conform to the normal wave motion of the rail. The employment of the standard or plain angle bars having a liJlllIQ-Olltfil hvertical surface structurally provides that usual track fastenerior spike. With respect at one side, as here shown "at the'left, the angle bar support cannot be secured by the V tofthe opposite side of the joint structure, while the ideal arrangement would be to have alowerang-le bar flangenonrprojecting; and-in consequence non-susceptible of;

spiking, for practical purposes, it is essential'tha t the outer side spikes be employed for the purpose of maintaining the track to gauge. It is accordingly provided that thelowermost angle barflange shall projiect outwardly beyond the outer face of the ver tical member-40f the upper angle bar, thereby providing for spiking at one Side only: This spiking at one side for maintaininggauge is found not to be substantially ob-' jectionabl-e in restricting the vertical m'ovee ment 'of' the joint structure as a Whole and causingrelati vemovement of its parts; as by a reason; of its parts having inadequate holding the spikes are lifted under the actionof thle'jwave movement sufficient to provide 1 for -aj normal clearance therefor when ordi nary spikesiare'employed' As here shown,

screw spikes may preferably be employed and in their application may be screwed- ClQWIL to a" position not quite in Contact with the angle bar. flange and to leave a normal vertical clearance sulii'clent to allow or the rail movement; It is important, however,- that to attain the practical advantages of my improved structure at least one side of the construction shall have no; provision forv spiking, thereby to' insure that its intended I adwantages. shall: be obtained, for as will-be appreciated, if provision for spiking is. present the tendenny of the unskilled trackman would be to. fully spikedowrt the insulatedv joint as, well. as-the common joint under the practical conditions of track maintenance.

Havingdescnibedl my invention, I" claini:

1'. An insulated railfljointincluding the rails, oppositely" positioned angle bar; membens for ]0ll1'11'1g, the rail endsnnsulatlng members; interposed between. said: angle bars and; the rail ends, bolts for securing the angle bans in position, said: bolts-being insulated from said bars and! the angle bar at least at one side of saidjoint structure" being'oi' i aifomni and arrangement to prohibitspiking fto themes,

' 2. insulated as joint including ale; i ppfi w' P S fi DHIBd-fiHer blocks; positioned. to engage the respective I a-1'1" ends,-

angle bars positioned with their vertical members opposed tothe outer surfaces of the filler blocks and having their horizontal flanges oppositely extended in overlapped relation and underlying the rail ends to provide base support therefor, securing bolts fitted to apertures in the rail ends, filler blocks and angle bars, an insulating member of angular form interposed between the rail ends and the uppermost of said angle bars and having a vertical port-ion positioned between the filler blocks and said angle bar vertical Inemberand-said angle bars being i composed of standard rolled steel sections whereby the joint structure, at least on-Qn e side, will have-a plane vertical surface nonadapted for-spiking to the ties.

, 3'. insulated rail j oint inelud ifng the rails, oppositely positioned filler blocks positioned toengage the respectiverail ends, angle bars positioned withtheir vertical. members opposed to'the outer surfaces of the tiller blocks and having their horizontal flanges oppositely extended in overlapped relation and underlyingthe rail ends tospros vid-e base: support therefor, securing bolts t tted to apertures in the rail ends, filler blocks and anglebar's, air insulating'inember of angular form interposedbetween the rail ends and the uppermost of Sand angle bars and having a vertical portion'positio'ned between the filler blocks-z andsaid: angle bar vertical member and said angle. bars. being composed oi standard rolled steel sections providin at one side a plane vereticalsurface nonadapted for spikingitorthe ties; and the lowermost of said angle bars.

liavingits horizontal fiange'at the opposite side extending beyondthe vertical member of the upperangle bar to provide for spik- "111g aintain .gange 4t An, HHSUlQhGChEall: jo nt; lilQl'ftldlilgt the;

rails; oppositely positioned: filler blocks arranged; to engage the. respective rail ends,

angle bars: oppositely positioned withxtheir vertical membersopposed to he outer surfaces of thefiller blocks a ndvwith, their heliizontal flanges: underlying the nails ends to prov de base support therefor, securing bolts; fitted: to; apertures in; the rail ends, 7

filler blocks and angle bars, insulating meansinterposed' between 'the'bolts and saidangle; bars, insulation interposed; between the rail ends and the uppermostangle bar and said angle bars being; composed of -standard rolled st fi s sections whereby the joint 'struc-r ture, at'least on one side, will have a; plane vertical surface the ties. i V a. y I a Signed at Reading, in the. county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, this 11th day of January, A. D. 1926. B OONE ABBQT'F;

non-adapted for spikingv to- 

